KARAK: The people of Banda Daud Shah tehsil on Tuesday demanded of the oil and gas exploration companies working in the area to resolve their problems, including low gas pressure and drinking water shortage.

They also held a protest sit-in outside the exploration company MOL`s central processing facility (CPF) at Makori.

Speaking on the occasion, former tehsil nazim Hameedullah and others regretted that Karak was the oil and gas producing district, but its residents had been holding protests and demanding increase in gas pressure and other facilities like drinking water since long.

They said that local people had provided a friendly environment to the exploration companies to facilitate their work, but it was regretful that the companies despite making promises had not be forthcoming in ensuring provision of basic facilities to them.

They said that they had informed the high-ups of the companies and Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Limited (SNGPL) about their problems, but to no avail.

They resolved to continue their protest till provision of basic amenities.

SNGPL officials Asmatullah and Raza Khan later assured the protesters that the gas pressure would beincreasedin the area and their other problems resolved.

TEACHERS STRIKE: The token strike of the management cadre officers of the Elementary and Secondary Education Department continued on the eighth consecutive day on Tuesday, demanding one step promotion.

District president of All Primary School Teachers (APTA) Javed Iqbal Khattak also visited the protest camp of the ofhcers at the district education offices and extended full support of the teachers to their demand.

He said that the management officers had played a key role in the process for promotion of the primary school teachers.

Mr Khattak assured the officers that he and the primary school teachers would support them in their struggle for promotion.

Management cadre officer Humayun Khattak said that the government had given promotion to all cadres of teachers, but ignored the officers who implemented the reform agenda of the present government.

He set Feb 28 deadline for the government to issue notification of the promotion of management cadre officers, and said that in case otherwise they would hold a protest sit-in outside the provincial assembly building.